Waiting Too Long
by tiffywiffyfluffykitty
Summary: Natsu had been gone too long and Lucy doesn't want to wait anymore.


**A little OOC, I think, but I think it's ok :3 Review please and vote on my poll! It closes on Friday! Again, review!**

* * *

**Waiting Too Long**

Falling… falling… falling.

Silver dancing up to the fading brightness.

Goodbye…

* * *

_Lucy!_

Who…? Natsu? Natsu, is that you?

_Who else would it be, weirdo?_

Natsu! I missed you so much. Why didn't you ever come back?

_I can't come back, Luce. You know that._

But…

_Luce, listen. You gotta live. You know I'm gone already._

No. No, you're not. I'm not listening to you. You're not Natsu.

_I _am_ Natsu. Listen to me!_

No.

_Luce…_

No!

_LUCY!_

WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LET ME DIE?!

_BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO LIVE ON, LUCE! And it's not just me, think about what Fairy Tail would be like after you die too!_

I DON'T WANT TO LIVE ANYMORE… It hurts, Natsu. It hurts to live.

_It hurts for me too, you know, being away from you. But we need to wait._

I can't… Why else did you think I jumped?

_…_

…

_Lucy… I love you._

I love you too.

_Live. Please. For me. Just please, please wait until it's time._

Waiting takes too long. I want to see you NOW. I want to hold you again. I miss you so much, Natsu.

_Luce—_

No, listen Natsu. I waited for you to come back for three whole years. And when I finally heard you were coming back, I ran to the guild only to find everybody crying and telling me you'd died. How did you think I felt? I couldn't breathe, Natsu. I couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, couldn't do anything. I was empty.

_Lucy…_

I thought, maybe they were lying. So I went back and they told me again, you were dead and gone, but I didn't believe them. I waited another two years for you to come back. And now, I can't take it anymore. I want you, Natsu. I want you to sleep in my bed, eat all my food, surprise me when I get home, and every other little thing that lets me know you're with me. I can't wait anymore, Natsu. I just can't.

_Lucy…_

So please, Natsu. Don't make me wait anymore.

_I can't do that Lucy. Please, don't do this to me. I can't let you join me._

…You don't want me?

_No! That's not—_

Is that why you don't want me anymore? Cause you already—

_NEVER. I'll never do that to you, Luce. You're my mate. I thought I made that clear before I left._

But… But you said—

_I said it because I want you to live on and get better. Take care of Happy and the others for me. Be strong. That's what I always liked about you. You were strong. You continued on._

But that was always when I was by your side. You made me stronger.

_You were always strong. Standing up to your dad? Convincing everyone not to fight during the Battle of Magnolia? How about when you used the Infinity Clock to sic Real Nightmare on Midnight? You _are_ strong, Luce. More than you know. You can live without me. I know you can._

But I still hurt so much without you…

_Maybe you can write letters to me, like you do to your mom. And about your mom, I met her. She's a real nice lady, Luce. She wants you to know that she gets each of your letters and misses you too._

You met Mama?

_She's the first person I met when I died. Then it was your dad. He's not that much of a sourpuss after he lightens up a bit. They were both really happy to meet me. _

Mama…and Papa?

_And… they told me to tell you that you have to keep moving on. We're all watching over you, Luce. So live. For all of us._

Mama…Papa…Natsu…

_They love you, Luce. _

I love them too.

_So move on, okay? Keep waiting just a bit longer._

I will…

_I love you, Lucy…_

I love you, Natsu…

* * *

"What the hell were you thinking?" Gray yelled as he hauled Lucy out of the lake at the base of the cliff, beating her back to dislodge any water that had seeped into her lungs. Juvia was right next to him, supporting her. Fairy Tail was scattered on the banks, anxiously watching as Gray and Juvia towed her toward shore.

"Is Lu-chan alright?" Levy shouted, straining against Gajeel's muscular arm. If it weren't for him, she would've jumped in there too.

"She's breathing, if that's what you mean," Gray muttered, pulling the limp Lucy onto the pebbly ground. "I'm gonna give her a real good lecture."

As soon as Lucy opened her eyes, Gray grabbed the front of her water-logged shirt and pulled her up.

"Gray, be gentle!" Erza barked at him, but he ignored her, putting his face close to Lucy's and shouting, "Look, you're not the only one messed up over Natsu, ok? We're all still sad even five years later but that doesn't mean you need to kill yourself over it! Think about how we would feel if—"

He stopped as Lucy raised a hand, effectively stopping him. She was gazing out over the rippling surface of the lake she had thrown herself into, as if she saw something on its surface.

"I know, Gray. I know… I'm sorry."

And that was enough for Gray to wrap her tightly in his arms, as did Juvia, Erza, Levy, Happy, Wendy, and everyone in Fairy Tail, all of them crying their eyes out, but these were tears of relief, of letting go, of acceptance.

Lucy stared at the four figures standing on the top of the lake and smiled, her own tears flowing down her cheeks as she cried.

"Take care of my daughter, Mavis," Layla said from where she stood next to Jude.

"I will, Layla," the First promised.

"Luce's gonna be fine," Natsu said confidently. "She'll be ok." He smiled, a little ruefully, and raised his hand in farewell before he and Lucy's parents faded into the sunlight, leaving Mavis alone on the lake, watching over her guild.


End file.
